Armored shield for traveling artillery.



.No. 726,988. PATENTED MAY 5, 190$.

E. VON RBIGHENAU.

'ARMORED SHIELD FOR TRAVELING AIITILLERY.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 19, 1902. N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ll ymmTHm- 7QTI'EI RN lax/5 No 726,988. PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

E. VON REIOHEN AU.

ARMORED SHIELD FORTRAVEI IING ARTILLERY. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 19, 1992.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SfiEET 2.

m: RN a/s PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.-

E. VON REIGHENAU. A I I ARMORED SHIELD FOR TRAVELING ARTILLERY.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

No. 726,988. P'KTENTED MAY 5', 1903. 4

B. VON REIGHENAU.

ARMORED SHIELD FOR TRAVELING ARTILLERY.

. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 19. 1902.

\ no MODEL. v 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

{I {I 5 3 I Tm FWD/ NITED STATES Patented May 5, 1903.

ARMORED S'HIELD'FOR TRAVELINGARTILLEARY.

srncmicnrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,988, dated May 5, 1903. a I

I Application filed June .19, 1902. Serial No. 112,339. (No model-l To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ERNST VON REICHENAU, lieutenant-general, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 30 Kaiser \Vilhelm Ring, Diisseldorf-Oberkassel, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Armored Shields for Traveling Artillery, of which the following is a specification.

The armored shields latterly used for artillerysuch as field-guns, which are intended to protect the gunners against the enemys fire, are composed of a shield-surface extending from the ground to the axle, of another shield -surface extending from the axle to about the upper edge of the gun, and a third I shield-surface projecting up above that point.

The part situated below the axle is generally turned up on hinges while traveling, in order not to be in the way; but so long as the gun is not inaction the great height of the upper shield-surface forms a considerable impediment, this being particularly the case when traveling, as the shield oifers to the windpressure a considerable resisting-surface, and

also it intercepts the View in front of the gun ners situated or marching behind the gun. The present invention obviates these several disadvantages by so constructing the part of the shield situated above the axle that it can be reduced to a fraction of its original height either by folding or sliding together the parts thereof. This arrangement can be applied both to armored shields having noe'opening above the gun,but extended transversely with a closed surface, in which case, for example, the upper part can be turned down upon the gun,as also with such armored shields in which an opening is provided above the gun.

Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings show, by way of example, a mode of carrying out the said invention in which the shield is provided with an opening above the gun that can be closed by means of flaps a. Fig. 1

shows a back view of the shield; Fig. 2, a side View, and Figs. 3 to 6 show details.

The flaps a can turn upon hingesf and can either be closed, as shown in dotted lines at Fig. 4, or they can be opened by turning them back against the shield-surface c, as shown in full lines at Fig. 4. As shown at Figs. 1 and 2, the lower part c of the armored shield can be turned upon hinges 6 against the middle part c, which is ausual arrangement, as above stated. According to the present invention,

however, the upper part 0 can also be turned down upon the hinges e. When the shield is provided with an opening, as shown in the drawings, the plates 0. are first turned back against the upper part c,as shown at Fig. 4, and then, as shown at Figs. 5 and 6, the folded parts a c are turned down upon the hinges e.

In the arrangement shown at Figs. 7 to 11- the shield is provided with lateral wings d d, which serve to protect the gunners against projectiles and shells that come from the enemy in a lateral direction. The upper part d of these side wings is divided in the plane of the hinges e from the lower part of the side wings (1, so that it can beturned down, together with the upper part c, in the manner shownat Figs. 10 and'll.

At Figs. 12 and 13 is shown a t'urther arrangement in which also the side wings d d can he turned upon hinges g against the parts 0 and c of the, shield, whereupon the upper parts 0', with the folded flaps a and also the folded wings d, can be turned down against the middle part of the shield c, as shown at Fig. 12 in horizontal section.

In all cases the folded parts of the shield are secured in that position .by means of leather straps and buckles secured thereto or in any other suitable. manner, so as to prevent them from making a noise when the gun with said relatively stationary part, so that it is adapted to be moved down onto the stationary middle part, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth 2. In an armored shield for traveling artillery, the combination of a partimmovably fixed to a gun-carriage, a part projecting up too beyond the gun-carriage and movably connected with the said relatively stationary part, and side wings connected with both said parts, the projecting part being adapted to be moved with the side wings down onto the stationary part, substantially as described,

with both the said for the purpose set forth.

3. In' an armored shield for traveling artillery, thecombination of a middle part immovably fixed to a gun-carriage, a part projecting up beyond the gun-carriage and movably connected with said relatively stationary part, and side wings movably connected parts, the projecting part and said side wings being adapted to be moved down onto the stationary part, sub-' stantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

v '4. The combination with afield-gun, of an armored shield consisting of a lower part extending beneath the axle, a middle parti'mmovably fixed to the gun-carriage, and a part projecting above the gun-carriage and movably connected with said middle part, and adapted to be moved downwardly against one face of said stationary middle part, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth. 5. The combination with a field-gun, of an armored shield consisting of a part hinged to the gun-carriage and extending below the axle thereof, a middle part immovably fixed to the carriage, and a part hinged to the upper edge of said middle part'and adapted to project above or lie against one face of said middle part, substantially as described, for

the purpose set forth.

' In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNST VON REIOHENAU. Witnesses:

PETER LIEBER, WILLIAM EssENWnIN. 

